At a news conference held today at the Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport, American Eagle Airlines Chief Operations Officer Stan Henderson announced company plans to open a new maintenance facility there.

The new facility will employ about 60 full-time mechanics who will perform "line" maintenance, or routine overnight maintenance and repair or replacement of parts, on the airline’s fleet of CRJ-700s. Eagle will take occupancy of the new facility in mid-January 2004, with the first maintenance to be scheduled in the facility in March.

Is 60 full-time mechanics quite a lot for "line" maintenance at an overnight station? Perhaps Eagle has bigger plans for XNA, particularly with their closing of the Saab maintenance base in Lawton, OK. Does anyone know if this is going to be off-gate maintenance (ie, outside) or will Eagle take over a hangar at XNA? If I remember correctly, though, there doesn't seem to be many - if any - open hangars, given Ozark Aircraft Systems, Tyson's and Wal-Mart's flight departments.

I'm not sure -- I think it indicates that AA has big plans for the CRJ, but maybe not XNA necessarily. If there are more announcements like this one, I'd bet that the CRJ is the primary replacement for the F-100.

Eagle has a major maintenance facility for its ERJs at ABI. I don't know how many are mechanics or full-time, but that facility employs 75 people. I think they are expanding this facility as well; it's probably a sign that RJs will be used even more in the future.

ABI is the 'bastard step child' of American Eagle. The employee's of Eagle Aviation Maintenance Services are actually 'not' part of American Eagle, but a sub division you might say. Last time I was out there they where still non-union and they did not receive full the AA flight prevliges or company benifits. They also could not 'bid over to Eagle. They still need to send over a job application, just like everyone else. I also think they have WAY MORE then 75 people there. That was what I would see on 2nd shift alone...

"It's not the size of the dog in the fight, but the size of the fight in the dog"

XNA makes pretty good sense as it is at least a CRJ-700 station. You won't see an RJ "hub" in Fayetteville as there simply isn't the need, but as Eagle's largest outstation (I believe), it is a logical place for a MX base.

XNA is logical CRJ MX facility since they can rotate in CRJ's for MX from both ORD and DFW. Not to mention the LAX flight that runs with a CRJ too. Plus a major factor when locating a MX facility is going where the average labor rates are cheap. In rural Arkansas, labor is significantly cheaper than at a major hub airport. Same for the price of land, and rent, etc.

MQT used to service the ATR's when they were flown out of ORD. They still do MX work on then even though they are all based down in MIA and SJU. Now Eagle does a significant about or ERJ MX up in MQT, hence the ORD-TVC-MQT routing. Originally the flight was nonstop ORD-MQT to bring in aircraft to work on and earn some revenue at the same time.

I don't appreciate the "bastard stepchild" comment. The facility at ABI has been great for Abilene and great for Eagle. Regional airlines, especially those that fly RJs, need to reduce costs everywhere the can to remain competitive. Small cities like Abilene are underserved when it comes to airlines, and they crave jet service instead of props. Having the maintenance base at ABI is great for Eagle, because it's inexpensive. It's also great for ABI, because now more than half of Eagle's flights to ABI are on jets. If the employees make a bit less money, I doubt they mind all that much -- the cost of living in Abilene, Texas is very, very low, much lower than most anywhere in the country, I would think.

Ssides.. you don't even LIVE in the US...!! Have you ever been in the hgrs at ABI, have you ever done business with EAMS..?? I have, and know how some of the employees feel. That comment was 'there's' not mine...!!!!

Now in the last few years I have heard that Eagle is opening up some of the options for them, but they are still treated sub par to full Eagle employees.

[Edited 2003-11-25 00:12:43]

"It's not the size of the dog in the fight, but the size of the fight in the dog"

I am only in the UK temporarily. I was born and raised in Abilene, Texas, and my parents still live there; I will be flying back LGW-DFW-ABI in about a month (on an AA 777, then an Eagle RJ-140, my first trip on the -140).

When I visit my family, I often drive out to ABI to see what's going on. I have talked to a couple of mechanics out there who seem to love what they do, although I'm sure that they wouldn't balk at having more privileges. They seem happy with their jobs, though, and happy to live in Abilene's small-town environment. The city sure loves Eagle Aviation, (look -- they're even building them a break room! http://www.reporter-news.com/abil/nw_business/article/0,1874,ABIL_7948_2439357,00.html) and I must say that I do too -- I hated having nothing but Saabs as the option when flying to ABI.

Actually, I was unaware that Eagle Aviation Services was an AMR company until recently.

One thing I have noticed, however ... it seems like quite a few of the DFW-ABIRJ flights are delayed for mechanical reasons. Many, I'm sure, are due for mechanical checks and that's why they're headed to ABI.

Also have noticed that Eagle is storing most of their old, unused Saabs at ABI. Man, they look decrepit!

Have a 'Joe Allens' steak on me....!!!! I sure miss their steaks, corn bread and cold beer out of the horse troft....!!!!

Last time I was at EAMS they had just finished the first ERJ hanger and new corporate offices. I was able to get onboard N602AE (their 2nd ERJ at the time) before it went into revenue service. I have learned that Eagle is returning ERJ-145's as they take on CRJ-700's due to the 'SCOPE' clause. N601AE thru N610AE are now gone.

"It's not the size of the dog in the fight, but the size of the fight in the dog"

XNA is no where near Eagle's largest outstation. I would have to say DCA is number one. With 4 gates, and flights to LGA (11-12) BOS (6) RDU (6) STL (6 on AX) and JFK (3), they easily outnumber XNAs 14.

Some cats think i'm 6 feet, I'm so deep; I can get d-d-down like a pessimist - Common

XNA is no where near Eagle's largest outstation. I would have to say DCA is number one. With 4 gates, and flights to LGA (11-12) BOS (6) RDU (6) STL (6 on AX) and JFK (3), they easily outnumber XNAs 14.

DCA is a domicile for mainline AA, so I didn't include it in the "outstation." Eagle runs the XNA station (both the AA and the Eagle flights). XNA has 21 daily flights handled by the station. Doesn't matter who operates the flights... what matters is who runs the operation.

You ever meet a guy named Dave Kennedy, he was an AMR VP around that time and focused on Eagle ops; he was at ABI quite a bit when the RJs were introduced. I am very good friends with his son, we went to college together and were able to have great aviation-related conversations. Just checking, not trying to turn this into a kind of social board or anything.

I'd say there are close to 30 Saabs parked at ABI. Maybe a bit more or less. Some of them are very old; a couple have had their tail rudders stripped off. I have a few pictures of them, but Airliners.net rejected them. I also can't figure out how to put non-A.net photos in these messages.

Anyway, the aircraft are parked at the far northwest corner of ABI's property, not far from where FedEx and UPS operate. It's just off the Loop 322 access road.

"I didn't mean the comment in the negative........just the difference. I always felt they should receive all the benifits of FULL American employee's."

They come pretty close to getting full benefits these days. Eagle mechanics are in negotiations right now and you can bet that EASI will get whatever pay raise Eagle gets. They are on the same scale now. And they don't have to pay union dues to get the raise....

"Last time I was at EAMS they had just finished the first ERJ hanger and new corporate offices. I was able to get onboard N602AE (their 2nd ERJ at the time) before it went into revenue service. I have learned that Eagle is returning ERJ-145's as they take on CRJ-700's due to the 'SCOPE' clause. N601AE thru N610AE are now gone."

Actually 600 was the first and 602 was the third. 600-609 went to Trans States and became 813HK-822HK.

Since the SCOPE clause was practically gutted the transfer of the 145's to TSA was stopped and all remaining 140 orders were converted to 145's.

Also, I don't know if you've been to ABI recently, but if you haven't, the terminal renovation has been great. There are two jetbridges, a real upper- and lower-level departure and arrivals area, and two new baggage claim belts. It really looks like an airport now, not just a building where planes park nearby. Check it out if you get a chance.

Actually I never flew in as a passenger. I'd either drive down from Amarillo when I was up there on business.....or I'd ferry in on one of our Saabs. I did walk over to the terminal building once to meet our Chief Pilot, but that was it. At that time in 1997 the terminal building was pretty out of date and had that 'late '70's' look.

I did always had a good time and looked forward to the ABI trips, Like I said before.......I'd go right now for a Joe Allens Steak, jalapeno corn bread and an ice cold beer...!!

"It's not the size of the dog in the fight, but the size of the fight in the dog"